


The remains of us

by littlelooneyluna



Category: Emmerdale, robron
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Soppy, engagement talk, missing hospital scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-21
Updated: 2016-10-21
Packaged: 2018-08-23 20:46:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,231
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8342125
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlelooneyluna/pseuds/littlelooneyluna
Summary: The monitor beeped, the noise still enough to unsettle Robert as he looked down towards Aaron and saw him hardly react. He looked so different, so much calmer than when Robert had last been this close to him. He wouldn't ever be able to rid his mind of the sight of Aaron like that, a mess of a man who was absolutely terrified of losing his life, losing Robert.





	

**Author's Note:**

> So ... Aaron and Robert are engaged to be married. This is a gigantic deal for the fandom (obvs) and so I wrote this, it's most likely awful and just a splurge of ideas but I honestly couldn't help myself!

Robert holds Aaron's hand, means so much more as he gently strokes the grazes on the younger man's knuckles and then stops at the feel of the band on Aaron's finger. Robert's mind flickers back to a few hours ago and remembers, _wants to forget_ , but _still_ remembers bitterly the cold water surrounding him, hitting him hard over and over as he swam deeper into the depths of the water, the ring on his mind, the only thing able to take over his thoughts.

He had nearly given up hope of finding it as he gasped for breath and lifted his head up high, his arms waving frantically above the water as he shook. All he could see in his mind was Aaron, Aaron getting better and being safe and sheltered and having a ring on his finger. Being Robert's after all. It was enough to jolt him back down into the water, swimming towards the car and finally, _finally_ finding the small box that held the ring inside.

  
The monitor beeped, the noise still enough to unsettle Robert as he looked down towards Aaron and saw him hardly react. He looked so different, so much calmer than when Robert had last been this close to him. He wouldn't ever be able to rid his mind of the sight of Aaron like that, a mess of a man who was absolutely terrified of losing his life, losing _Robert_.

  
_Please just go._

  
He had meant that, truly. In their last moments together all Aaron could focus on was making sure Robert _lived_.

  
Aaron's face seemed to soften as he caught sight of Robert, _Robert_. He didn't think he'd see his face again, see those eyes filled with tears and hear his voice, his voice begging him not to give up, so broken and lost.

Aaron felt Robert's fingers brush against his own and he breathed out a slow breath as he tried to look past the thoughts in his mind. Flashes. Flickers. Water trapping him, swallowing him whole.

  
"Rob," Aaron felt a sense of fear rise inside him and it took seconds for Robert to act, an arm moving towards Aaron and then falling around his neck as Aaron shuffled on the bed and allowed Robert to slide in next to him, their bodies almost like a jigsaw puzzle slotting together on the small bed.

  
"I'm here now, it's okay." Robert kissed the top of Aaron's head, his own hands shaking still from the efforts of the day and the shock that came with it all.

  
Aaron looked down at the shaking hands of Robert and covered them with his own, catching a glimpse of the ring for the first time, so much clearer and even more breathtaking then he imagined. A real ring, a solid object that summed up their commitment, their love, their life _together_.

  
"Not bad this," Aaron's voice was still croaky and it ached to talk, the doctors told him it was because of the amount of water he stomached but he didn't care about that now. He needed to speak to Robert, to _his_ Robert despite how it could hurt him.

  
Robert let out the faintest smile, shuffling a little on the bed so that he could look directly at Aaron, "Sorry if it's a bit _wet_." He wondered if it was, a part of him paranoid that he hadn't been able to completely dry it with his equally as soaked shirt.

  
Aaron frowned and then smiled softly, "It's _perfect_." He whispered so delicately it was almost lost in the noise of the monitors. Aaron turned back towards Robert, "I thought - I thought I wouldn't get the chance to -"

  
Robert shook his head, squeezing at Aaron's hands and stopping him because he _knew_ what he was saying and he didn't want to think about that now, not any of it. "As if I'd let the happen?" His voice broke a little, tears in his eyes as he leaned into Aaron and titled his head shyly, "I went back for it you know."

  
Aaron was silent for a few seconds before his eyes widened and he used his shoulder to shove Robert a little, "You _idiot_!" He was able to chuckle the words out, raspy and followed by a cough that made Robert look a lot more serious than before.

  
Aaron swallowed hard and smiled, Robert's hand was now making small circles on his back and it made Aaron's heart practically _melt_. "I'm good now," he whispered after a few seconds of admiring the way Robert appeared in front of him. He had never seen him so focused, so intensely drawn to him before. Maybe during the trail he had been that way, maybe on that bench before he found Liv he had started at him like that but Aaron had never seen it, he had never _allowed_ himself to back then. It was all too complicated to see Robert give him such a look when his head was such a mess.

  
"You sure?" Robert's eyes were still wide, the cut just above his right one caught Aaron's attention and he was able to lift an arm up weakly to stroke it.

  
"Are you?" Aaron whispered back, his hand gently stroking at the cut and then his eyes focused on Robert.

  
Robert gulped, nodding his head and then smiling, "If you are, I am." He said the words with a shrug, one that said it was as simple as that and there was nothing more to be said at all.

  
Aaron's eyes flickered as he felt Robert kiss at his hands and then pull away, "I'm never leaving you again," Robert whispered the words out, soft and slow and delicate as he stared down at Aaron and then looked back at the ring on his finger, almost gasping in disbelief that they were going to be _married_ soon, Aaron _wanted_ to be with to him for the rest of his life. "Not ever I swear," it was a promise, one he made the minute he saw Lachlan standing idly by the side and he realised that he had left Aaron for _him_ , to find the low life who hadn't given him nor Aaron a second thought.

  
Aaron nodded along, guilt apparent on his face as he titled his head. "I - I won't leave you either, I won't - Rob I won't give up like I did, I'm sorry I - I just didn't know -" he was panicking again, hating himself for the way he had let it all get onto of him and simply _let_ the water take him further down, surrendering whilst Robert _kept_ fighting for them.

  
Robert understood, of course he did and it didn't take long for him to comfort Aaron with a kiss. "I know Aaron, it's okay shh," Aaron buried his head into Robert's neck, sobbing as he felt Robert against him, crying fresh tears too and feeling exactly the same pain as Aaron.

  
"I thought I lost ya," Robert was able to get out after a few seconds, "I really did, just for a second when - when you floated down and, and -" he let the tears out, tears only Aaron could ever understand.

  
It was now Aaron who stopped him from panicking, his hand resting over Robert's chest and worry prominent on his face, "We're alive Rob, we - we are going to come out of here _alive_ 'cos ya saved me didn't ya?" Robert nodded along to Aaron's soft words and it took a second for Aaron to realise how easy it suddenly was to talk now. "And - yeah we could have - I could have,"

Aaron looked down then, that fear of dying was still so prominent, "But I didn't, I'm here and I'm going to be with ya forever now," his eyes fell on his engagement ring, a smile spreading across his face, "Yeah?" He added, his voice broken a little as he fought back tears, happy ones this time.

  
Robert breathed out a slow sigh, shaky and enough to make Aaron realise how much it all meant to the older man, "We're really going to be okay now?" It was a plea to Aaron, a shaky breathy scared little plea that begged his lover to tell him that _finally_ he could be happy, _they_ could be happy.

  
Aaron nodded, looking more confident than he ever had before.

  
Robert shook his head, tears still in his eyes as he smiled and saw Aaron playing with the ring on his finger, "It's not how I wanted to propose," Aaron looked up at him, arching an eyebrow and promoting him to go on, "It was meant to be in the barn, _our_ barn but ..."

  
Aaron tutted, almost appearing gutted as realisation hit him. "I ruined it, it's my fault that -"

  
Robert shook his head again, this time more determined in his movement. "Don't Aaron," it was enough to to make Aaron stop himself from feeling as guilty, "And then when, when you said you loved me in the woods I was going to get the ring then too." The memory came flooding back and it made them both smile to themselves, it had been so special to them both.

  
"It would have been -"

  
"Perfect." Robert rolled his head back, hating how it couldn't have been like that.

  
" _Too_ perfect for us Robert." Aaron's eyes flickered and then he let out a faint smile, "What are we without a bit of drama eh?" He looked so much brighter, lighter as he rested his head against the pillow and stroked up and down Robert's arm.

  
"Suppose," Robert whispered out, kissing Aaron's head again and smiling because Aaron still said yes and that's all that really mattered.

  
Aaron played with the ring again, "I didn't think you'd want to, after going through one already and getting a divorce." He had a certain amount of insecurity in his voice that Robert was quick to eradicate.

  
"Yeah well that was only really because I fell for this grumpy bloke who I just couldn't keep my hands off." Robert smiled as he watched Aaron roll his eyes, "I don't think it'll happen again, he was way too rare."

  
Aaron squeezed at Robert's hand, "Better not." He joked.

  
"I meant what I said," Robert looked into Aaron's eyes, "No one comes close Aaron, no one."

  
Aaron believed it even more this time and the realisation that Robert was going to be his for the rest of his life was able to make tears swim about in his eyes, threatening to pour out messily as he felt Robert kiss at his forehead and then pull back so that their noses were touching. "Aaron Dingle, my _fiancé_."

  
The words sent a tingle through Aaron's body and he couldn't help but feel the tears roll out, "I like the sound of that nearly as much as I like you." He laughed, feeling his throat ache a little but he pushed past that and focused on Robert, his Robert, his _fiancé_ Robert Sugden.

  
Robert smiled, "I'm glad to hear that," Aaron's eyes flickered again, this time his breathing slowing down a little and Robert realised he was probably exhausted from what he had been through, "Try and get some sleep yeah?" He whispered, nodding towards Aaron and then seeing the fear on his face at the thought of being away from Robert, even if only for a few hours.

  
"Hey I'll be right here, like I'd leave ya now." Robert was so sincere it ached, his hands moving up to part Aaron's hair slightly and make the younger man relax a little more on the bed. "You my fiancé are stuck with me for life you got that?"

  
Aaron was able to smile as he closed his eyes and felt Robert relax around him, his long arms completely wrapping around Aaron as they lay closed off from the horrors of the aftermath and the death in the atmosphere.

  
The sound of sniffles filled the room a few moments later and Robert was laying there, crying into the small of Aaron's back like a baby would. Aaron pulled his hand back and felt Robert grab it instantly, squeezing it tight for reassurance that Aaron was ready to give.

  
"I love you, I love you Robert." It was soft and gentle and filled the room as Robert stopped crying and lifted his head up slowly so that he could wipe at his eyes.

  
"I love you too," Robert's words were caught up in a gasp, an attempt to hold back more tears and although Aaron contemplated whether or not to prompt Robert to talk about why he was crying it seemed obvious to him, Robert had to watch the man he loved most in this world _drown_ and he couldn't find the words to say anything to that.

Instead he turned towards Robert, wiping the older man's tears away with his fingers and looking softly into Robert's eyes, "Let's _both_ get some sleep yeah?" His words almost echoed Robert's earlier and it managed to settle Robert enitelty, his shoulders relaxing as his eyes closed and he held tighter onto Aaron's hand, not needing to give a reason.

  
Aaron shut his eyes then, content with the feel of Robert's hand in his own, brushing against his ring as the monitor of the machine continued to beep throughout the room.


End file.
